The instant invention relates to novel branched chain sulfatobetaines, their use in reducing the surface tension of aqueous solutions, in the presence or absence of electrolytes, and in rendering cellulosic and natural and synthetic polyamide materials hydrophobic and oleophobic.
It is a further object of the instant invention to provide a simple economic method of preparing such branched chain sulfatobetaines.
Various structural divergent N-type betaines are known, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,283,533 and in U.K. Patent Specification No. 1,434,119. However, the structure of these N-type betaines is substantially divergent from those of the instant invention, and the preparation thereof ordinarily entails various cumbersome multistep techniques.